Marshawn Lynch re-enacts injury-cart joyride at Cal 10 years later
BERKELEY, Calif. -- Ten years after his famous on-field injury-cart joyride, former California running back Marshawn Lynch recreated the feat Saturday at Memorial Stadium. This time, he led the Golden Bears out of the tunnel before their showdown against No. 5 Washington.
Lynch drove a motorized cart onto the field with his mother, Delisa Lynch, in the passenger's seat. In an homage to his celebration after Cal's overtime win over the Huskies in 2006, Lynch again swerved several times on his route to the midfield logo while dancing and beaming behind the wheel.
"He was driving crazy," Delisa Lynch said. "I was shaking like a leaf on a tree."
Bay Area rapper E-40, whose song "Tell Me When to Go" was released back in 2006 when Lynch took his first iconic ride, joined Lynch on the cart. That E-40 song blared on the stadium PA system during the festivities.
The whole spectacle was part of Cal's Marshawn Lynch bobblehead night, during which the first 10,000 fans received detailed miniature models of Lynch's 2006 joyride. Fans began lining up outside Memorial Stadium nine hours before kickoff for their chance at the bobblehead, which is already fetching well over $100 on eBay.
Jeff Tedford, who was Cal's coach during Lynch's drive back in 2006, also was present. He's now a consultant for Washington.
"It's pretty funny that they're doing a bobblehead, because I got in trouble for that, like I planned it or something," Tedford told reporters in Seattle back in August. "The next day, I got a call from [the athletic director] saying, 'He can't be doing that.' Marshawn is so fun-loving and he was excited after a big win. ... But I had to tell him, 'No more.' Keep the keys away from Marshawn. He can't take the golf cart."
Everything came full circle Saturday, when Lynch got those keys back.
During his NFL career, Lynch played six seasons for the Seattle Seahawks, whose fan base overlaps with Washington's. That made Lynch's bobblehead a particularly anticipated giveaway.
